Workers with more time for their babies or self-care and more productive companies: the new 40-hour work week approved by Chile begins to transform society with one of the most liberal economies in Latin America.
In mid-April, the government of leftist Gabriel Boric promulgated a law that progressively cuts the work week from 45 to 40 hours over the next five years.
Before its approval, half a thousand companies had already reduced regular working hours, a measure that is advancing in Europe and that in the region is gaining ground with Chili, Ecuador and Venezuela to the forefront
The new law, which was pending for six years amid bitter debates about its convenience and impact on productivity, will benefit five million people.
In the first year the week will be 44 hours, it will decrease to 42 in the third year and to 40 hours after five years. Companies will not be able to lower wages and can negotiate with their employees to work four days and rest three.
Less hours at work equals more free time and quality of life: Employees and businessmen spoke to the AFP about the revolutionary equation.
“Important time for my family”
The first thing the Chilean warehouse assistant does when he gets home after work David Contreras is to kiss and play with your baby. Now that she works 40 hours a week, she has enough time to do what she couldn’t with her older daughters:
“I have gained a very important time to dedicate it to my family”. At 49 years old, this worker for a thermal insulation systems company now returns home with daylight.
German capital company stopwhere he works, went ahead to incorporate the new measure for its almost 70 employees.
“Coming home and seeing her smile; See when he is sleeping, being able to play with him and take advantage of all that time is the best”, adds Contreras, sitting with little Joaquín, five months old, in his arms.
with her older daughters, Francesca and Bianka, 10 and 16 years old, respectively, did not experience the same story. He worked in shifts of 45 to 48 hours a week, and also the company where he did it was very far from his house.
“When I went to work they were sleeping and when I came back they were already in bed. I missed a lot what attachment to my daughters is, what to this day to a certain extent they charge me”, he recounts.
“Frankly, I didn’t realize it when my daughters grew up.”, he adds.
And now that he has become a father again, he does not want to repeat the same story: “With him I can take advantage of the time. I can go outside and see how it grows day by day”, he highlights.
“Too long for me”
the venezuelan Ana Belen Centeno, 32, has been working 40 hours a week for eight months. In the six years that she has been living in Chile, she had never enjoyed this schedule before. When he arrived, she worked in a shopping center and came home very late.
Today in charge of Internet sales for the furniture importer Home Mobilisingle and childless, feels that she now has a lot of free time: “I have too much time for myself“, smile.
His sister Maria Jose, and Carmen, his mother, still work 45 hours a week. “I’m the first to get home. I wait for you with a clean house and with the dog already walked”, he recounts.
Three times a week he works out after work in the company gym.
“I have never had a job with so much quality time for me. It is something that is not believed. Many people tell me: You work from Monday to Friday and 40 hours! Make the most of it!”counts while taking a break from his exercise routine.
Better work environment
The company stop works with the 40-hour system since 2014, following the policies of its parent company in Germany.
“Implementing 40 hours has meant a better work environment, better productivity and all of us as workers being able to spend more time with our families”, says Ricardo Bifani, its general manager.
“We are happy with the performance of the workers, with the economic and sales resultsBifani adds.
For Italo Vásquez, general manager of the Home Mobili company, also “the results have been optimal. People are working in a very committed way and we have had very little worker turnover”.
“There is greater productivity and more commitment from people”, he highlights.
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
